Bottle stopple



June 14, 1960 c. F. STERLING BOTTLE STOPPLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 9. 1956 INVENTOR CON F. STERLlNG H 1S ATTORNEYS June 14, 1960 c. F. STERLING BOTTLE STOPPLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filedct. 9, 1956 INVENTOR. CON F. STERLlNG his ATTORNEYS nited States Patent O y BOTTLE SToPPLE Con F. Sterling, Round Hill Road, Williamsport, Pa.

Filed oef. 9, 1956, ser. No. 614,896

14 claims. (cl. 1s14o.3)

rI'his invention relates to bottle stopples and in par- Y' trated by Figures 5 or 6. The finger gripping portion 10,

ticular to bottle stopples composed of a plurality of separately fabricated pieces brought together in a unitary stopple assembly. The application is a continuation-,inpart of my copending application, Serial No. 499,554, filed April 6, 1955 (now abandoned). Y

It is known that certain materials are well suited toA stopple a bottle and that others are well suited for finger gripping and external exposure. The bringing together of such materials to form a unitary bottle stopple assembly eilicient in all operating characteristics, conserving of fabricating materials, and economical in manufacture does not lend itself to a ready solution.

It is an object of the invention, therefore, to provide a bottle stopple of at least two separate parts adapted to be integrated in a simple assembly operation.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a bottle stopple which is substantially hollow to conserve materials, which is free of external voids and 'depressions in which the contents of the bottle might become lodged, and which is particularly adaptable to support an appliance such, for example, as a dauber.

ln accordance with ythe invention, there is provided a bottle stopple having separately fabricated finger gripping and bottle engaging portions, the two being hollow. The bottle engaging portion can be of a relatively soft resilient material to effectively stopple a bottle and the finger gripping portion of a relatively hard inflexible material. Complementary frictional wall surfaces are formed on each to facilitate mating with minimum effort but which resist separation with forces of exceptional magnitude. Also, complementary bosses can be formed on the two portions to support an appliance in a mechanically eicient manner, or a shank to hold a dauber can be formed integrally with the bottle engaging portion.

Representative embodiments of the invention from which the above and other objects will be readily apparent are illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a side View, partly broken away in vertical section along its diameter, of the finger gripping portion of a bottle stopple;

Figure 2 is a view in horizontal section taken on the line 2--2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a side view, partly in vertical section through its diameter, of the bottle engaging portion of' a bottle stopple;

Figure 4 is a view in horizontal section taken onthe line 4 4 of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a side View, mostly in vertical section along its diameter, of an assembled bottle stopple made up of the.V components of Figures l and 3, with a bottle in which the stopple is inserted and an appliance which the stopple can. carry being shown in broken lines;

Figure 6 is a side view mostly in vertical section along its diameter, of a bottle stopple representing a modifica-l tion of that illustrated by Figures l-5 and inserted'in the neck of the bottle shown in broken lines;

Figure 7 is a perspective exploded view of still another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 8 is a vertical cross-sectionvview of the embodiment shown in Figure 7; and

Figure 9 is a cross-section view taken along theline 9--9 of Figure 8, looking in the directionv of the arrows.

Referring to Figures V1 and 3, there are shown, respectively, a finger grippingportion 10 and a bottle engaging portion 11 adapted to be frictionally united to form a bottle stopple 12' which can be of the'plug type as illuswhich is generally cup-shaped opening toward the mouth ofthe bottle it is to stopple, includes a top portion 13- and, preferably formed integrally therewith, aY tubular side wall 14, the two making up the normally exposed surfaces of the finger gripping portion of the stopple. The exposed surface of the side wall 14 can be formed with flutes 14a to facilitate finger gripping and enhance its appearance.

DisposedV within the wall 14 and preferably formed integrally with the ltop 13Yis an inner tubular wall 15, with the opposed surfaces of the two walls 14Yand 15 constituting frictional side wall meansdefning a channel 16 which, in the event the side wallsare cylindrical, will be toroidal in form. Preferably the opposing surfaces of the walls 14 and 15 are made slightly convergent looking toward the top of the stopple. A plurality of friction ribs 17 are formed on the inner surface of the wall 14, the ribs being relatively shallow and narrow and parallel to the axis of the cup-shaped finger gripping portion 1i) and hence of the entire stopper assembly 12. The. lower end of the tubular wall 15 can be formed with a rounded or tapered lip 18. In4 the event the stopple'is to carry an appliance such, for example, as a dauber, applicator, or the like, there can be formed Within the tubular wall Y15, and preferably depending from the top 13, a boss V19 having a central bore 2) flaring outwardly at its free end 21.

The finger gripping portion 10, which can be formed in its entirety by a single pressing or die operation, is preferably formed of a relatively hard inflexible material such, for example, as polystyrene.

The bottle engaging portion 11, which is also generally cup-shaped opening, in opposition to the finger gripping portion, away from the mouth of the bottle it is to stopple, includes a base portion 22 and, extending upwardly therefrom, a tubular bottle engaging wall 23 which can be slightly divergent moving away from the base. A series of extremely thin, shallow ribs 24, aligned with the direction of insertion into the mouth of theV bottle, can be formed on the exposed'surface of the Y wall 23 to improve the frictional engagement vwith the bottle. .Disposed upwardly of the Wall 23 is friction wall means in the form of a tubular wall 25 of greater diameter than the surface 23 toform a shoulder 26 therebetween. An appliance supporting boss 27, extending upwardly from the base 22, is formed with a central or axial bore 28 to receive an appliance as 'described below.

The bottle engaging portion 11, which can be fabricated by a single die or pressing operation, is formed of a relatively soft and resilient material such, for example, as polyethylene.,

The bottle engaging portion 11 and the finger gripping portion 10 are united by` pressing the tubular friction wall 25 into the channel space 16 defined by the opposed surfaces of the walls 14 and 15, with the friction'ribs 17 embeddingthemselves into the surface of the wall 25, which is tightly pinched at its upper end. The engagement of the friction wall means of the two portions 10 and 11 is facilitated by the relative elasticity or resilience,

of the material `of which the wall 25 is formed relative'.

` Patented .lune 14,1960

ment to formz a longi opening for receiving, for'exampl'e,

Y tire"Y shank 29 0f any appliancewhiclr 'canjtake the form,`

yfor" example, 'of-Ka" dauber 30.l V'The fit of 'the Q29` r in the openings and 28 .is 'preiiafrablyV atric'tional tit augmented; if desired; by means. o fone orY more barbs' 29aV (not showin,formedVV on the inserted4 'sianl'porri'rm;Y

the boss 27,;which aord's Va shoulderr at the junction the flared endZl' of the Vboss 19, a positivelock 4against. removal can be provided. Whenv in place', the shank 29 isY afforded -a limited degree of play Yby vthe nesiliencey Y which inneres in ythe bossi 19, in this fashion preventing Y' breaking of 'thelboss Also,` the shank of the` ,appliance "can be used to augment the coupling between Vthefportirons' 10 and although this isnot necessary' in most cases-.i

Vinserted'in the month 31 ofa bottle ',32, theenlar'g'ed vshoulder afforded bythe shoulder Y26 andthe coplanar lowerend14boftlrewall 14, overhangsu the lipf of' A:the bottle, thereby Aserving to prevent accumulation of dust or otlrer'foreign matter atv the*v lip; The shoulder 26,;1nayV also kbe useful in assemblying-the tvvoparts'flii and 11. For example,- the ,'Wall Bof the part l1 mayV be inserted Within a hollow tubular Vtoolso that the upper edge of the tool engages theV shoulder 26." The t'oolfmay thus be usedgt'o, drive vthe parts 10,'11V together without damaging theliexibiemember 11. Y Y

It will be understood that the'assembled bottle stoppl'e Y i 12 is' substantially hollow, ythereby greatly conserving r materials of fabricationrandthatit'at once affords optiexample to carry a working appliance. f It- Will be understood that the bottle ystoppin may take Y Y' various forms and embodiments 'without departing from lthescope Vof fthe'invention disclosed herein. Thus, for

example, referring to Figure Y6 in wliichflike parts Vare Vu'identied by like reference numerals, the bossesl@ land'Y 2750i Figure 5 can be'eliminated if anappliance vis not needed.

' Another embodiment of the invention isV represented in Figures Tito?. in this embodiniengthe parts iii and l1 i are'cou'ple'd Vtogether in thermanneridescribed above in connection Ywith Figures l Vto @ibut the `daubevrfor swab 40 in "this Vcase is'aixed bymeans of `a yv'ire band ciampiV 41 to thelowerend oa shankAZ whichfis formed-in- Y Y teg'rallywith the base 22,015V the :part 11. n To oier af- .S greater resiliency `Vand tofwsavemateal, the shank 42 'isf opposed surfaces of which define a toroidal space,V an in? rrsjeparation by axially4 applied V"forces not only greatly ei'tceedng .thosene'cessary toy effect the assembly'in" the*v non minding nifcfisnai side wan means "of relatively hardinexiblematerialdemgqg aV toroidalrecessedsspace in one end thereof, a plurality ofl substantially parallel ribs formed on said frictional side wall means within the toro'idal space, :and a bottle engaging portion including a tubular end Yhaving frictional side Wall means of relatively soft resilient material complementary vto those of the nger gripping portion fion slid'ably engaging the latter to frictionally secure -the-twoportionstogether, the ribs being embedded inthe .said Wall"mt-SarisV of the bottle engaging portion; to lock the ngerigrippingportion and" th bottle y engaging portion, together. n I

2. A bottle stopple as' se't 'forth in claim 1 including a Byvv causing a barb to pajss beyond thefree` errdgZ'ltr i shank extendinggfronnonegendrof thebottle engaging'porg therewith and an opening in the boss to receive the 4. Albottle stoppleV as setif'orthclaimZ-Vwhereinlthef shank is formed integrally with the bottleengaging por--A tion.'

5. A Vbottlejstopple comprising av hollow cup-shaped,

linger gripping portion l*including tubular frictional; ,slider Wall" means of 'relatively' hard inexible material, a plurality' of' substantially parallel ribs formed on said fric'- Itional 'sidewall means, anda hollow cup-shaped bottle en gaging portion .includingtubular friotional'side wall meansA of" relatively soft resilient material complementary' to;

those' of'the nger gripping portion for slidablyengagingthe latterrto frictionally'secure the two-portions together', the relatively hardribs 'being' embeddedI in the relatively Y soft side wail means of the hollow cup-shaped bottlef en Y mum tingerxgrippingand .bottleengaging'characteristics 3 by virtue of the physical properticsp'of the Yd'iierent ma-i .Y

" gaging portion `to lock the'hc'illowr cup-shaped portions to gether, said two` cup-shaped portions being inverted with respect'to one anotherfto form a closed* hollowjstopple assembly;

6.'AV bottle stopple comprising a'hollovi cup-shaped :"iingergiipping por-tion including'tubular frictional-"side Wall means of relatively hard inflexible material', av hollow' cupshaped bottle engaging portion; including tubular fric- .tionalA side, Wall means'of relatively softl resilient materialE fcornplernentaryV to those of the finger gripping portion for Vslidably 'engaging theA latterto frictionallysecure 'the twoA portions togethergfsaid two cup-shaped portions Vbeing inverted. with respect'to oneI another-to form a closed' hollow stopple assembly, andan appliance Vsuppertingfooss` Within the side'walllneans'o the-'iinger gripping portion extending toward the bott-le engaging portiornfa corn-4 plenientary; boss Within 'thelside WallnieansV oi'thobottleengaging' portion extending toward the nger engaging:

portion; the two ybosses being brought intoaligninentto.y receive a Vcommon appliance-.support when theftwo'por' A Y' tions of the,Y stoppl'eare frictionally engaged A' 7. VAliottle stopple comprising al finger gripping portion including frictio'nalrside Wall means .ofY relatively hard',

i V.inii'exi'ole material;V and comprising a pair'oiE coaxial inho'llow for' the greater vpartfof its length. ,The syvab 4Q is a iliquid t absorbant fibrousV ball, V'such as'. feltlf 'cotton7 wool, etc., and/'it'isjattached totheeitrem'eilowcrend of tlriefshank Yi2l by the engagement "of 'the wire handel: With'afgrooveA 43 (see Figure?) 'in' gtlievrsrhanlt. The

groove k43Y in the'shank-'mayjbepm-formed therein orv it may beimpressed thereinbywthewire .banditjat the time that the Wire band is 'clampedto VVthissha'nk, The'poiyi Yethylene shank 42 is ogqadvantage particularly in in` stances :where theV liquid in ythe?container Would 'oitidize f for corrod'e a "metalrs'hankf Y Y,

wardly extending tubular walls ,ofl diiierent diameter, the

Wardly extending ",appliance'supporting boss" Within the Vtubular WallsV or"` the finger gripping portion,a-bottle Ytively soft material Vand comprising an outwardly extending tubular .portionV slidably received in the 'toroidal space to frictionally secure thestwo portions together, and an outwardiy extendingl appliance supporting bossV Within the tubular. Wall or" the ybottle engaging portion, the two .bosses being brought linto alignment when the two portions of the stopple are'rictionally "engaged,V

bottleV stopple comprising a-'inger grippingv portion includingV frictional sidewall means of relatively 5 l hardiniexible material and comprising a pair of coaxial inwardlyv extending tubular v'wallsofdifferent diameter,Y the opposed surfaces ofY which define a toroidal space, a

purality of substantially parallelvribs Vtermed on at. leastL one of said opposed surfaces, said ribs being relatively thin and substantially parallel to the common axis of said tubular walls, and a bottle engaging portion including frictional wall means of relatively soft resilient material and comprising an outwardly extending tubular portion slidably received in the toroidal space to frictionally secure the two portions together, the relatively hard ribs of the finger gripping portion becoming embedded in the relatively soft tubular portion to lock the said tubular portion within the toroidal space.

9. A bottle stopple as set forth in claim 8 including a plurality of slightly raised ribs in the exposed Surface of the lower tubular wall of the bottle engaging portion in substantial alignment with the direction of insertion of the stopple in a bottle and adapted to engage the neck of the lbottle.

10. A bottle stopple as set `forth in claim 8 including a base at the lower end of the lower tubular wall of the bottle engaging portion and an upwardly extending resilient appliance supporting boss carried by the base.

1l. A bottle stopple as set forth in claim 10 including a rigid downwardly extending appliance supporting boss carried by the nger gripping portion in alignment with the resilient boss of the bottle engaging portion.

l2. A bottle stopple as set forth in claim 1l including an appliance having a shank supported by the bottle stopple, said aligned bosses having aligned axial bores formed therein to receive a shank of an appliance, the bore of the boss Carried by the finger gripping portion being enlarged at the point of abutment with the boss of the bottle engaging portion to form a shoulder, said shank being disposed in the bores of both bosses.

13. A bottle stopple comprising a iinger gripping portion made of a relatively hard inexible material, one end of said nger gripping portion having a toroidal recessed space dened therein between a pair of oppositely disposed, spatially separated Walls, a bottle engaging portion made of a relatively soft resilient material, said bottle engaging portion having a tubular end which is adapted to be force fitted into said toroidal recessed space so that the inner and outer surfaces thereof are in frictional contact with said oppositely disposed walls deiining the toroidal space, and a plurality of thin, longitudinally disposed ribs formed integrally on at least one of said walls defining the toroidal recessed space, said ribs biting into the corresponding adjacent wall of the bottle engaging portion when the tubular end thereof is force fitted into said toroidal space so as to wedge lock the bottle engaging portion securely to thenger gripping portion, to prevent them from becoming separated or from twisting relatively to each other when the bottle stopple is removed from the bottle.

14. A bottle stopple as set forth in claim 13 including means defining a shoulder around the outer periphery of said bottle engaging portion, said shoulder being disposed remotely from both ends of the bottle engaging portion and intermediate the end adapted to be forced into the bottle and the portion of the open end which is accommodated within the toroidal recessed space in the finger gripping portion.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 673,621 Moody May 7, 1901 1,915,599 Ellison June 27, 1933 2,001,086 Villanyi May 14, 1935 2,011,545 Thorp Aug. 13, 1935 2,173,959 Britt Sept. 26, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 673,621 France May 7, 1901 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTIO1\I Patent No., 2940v lO' June 14, 1960 Con F. Sterling It is hereby certified that error appears in theprinted specification of the above lnumbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.`

Column 6 line 35Y list of References Citedv under FOREIGN PATENT-SYI the single Citation should appear as shown below instead of as in the patent:

803505 Franee- July v 1936 Signed and sealed this 15th day of November 1960o SEAL) Attest:

KARL Ho AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Oicer Commissioner of Patents 

